


What A Surprise

by FukaiFox



Series: Becoming Human, Friend, and Family [2]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Animals, Gavin and Connor are reluctant friends, Gen, but just another side of him, not really a redemption for Gavin, the side that doesn’t love anything except his cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 10:00:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16890447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FukaiFox/pseuds/FukaiFox
Summary: Connor watched as Gavin took a deep breath, seeming to swallow what little pride he had.“I think something’s wrong with my cat, alright? And I don’t- I don’t have the money right now to pay for the vet twice over. Can you just, I dunno, check her out for me?”





	What A Surprise

If it was anyone else that had been anxiously side-eyeing Connor for the last ten minutes, he wouldn’t have thought much. But it was Gavin. The man was fidgeting in his chair at his desk, stealing glances at Connor while the android scanned case files and pieced together evidence. Connor hadn’t said more than his usual “good morning, Detective Reed,” on his way in this morning, not wanting to ever deal with Gavin more than he had to. He couldn’t have done anything to piss him off already. He did a quick scan of the human and tilted his head at the readings.

 

He was incredibly stressed. About what, Connor couldn’t tell. But something was bothering him, his anxiety through the roof as he just spun around in his chair and kept staring at Connor before he would look away and pretend to look at his phone or computer. Well, whatever it was, Connor sure as hell wasn’t going to be the one to ask him about it.

 

“You noticed too, huh?” Hank asked, looking over at Connor’s desk from his own. “Bah, what am I sayin? You notice everything. What the fuck’s his issue?”

 

Connor shrugged.

“I couldn’t tell you. But, he’s not angry. That stress is anxiety. Perhaps he got some unpleasant news this morning.” he guessed, then took a sip of the hot chocolate in his thermos. “I’ll be honest, I don’t really care enough to worry about it. As long as he doesn’t try to start another fight with me.”

 

“Sounds like a solid plan, Con. After you beat his ass in the evidence room I bet he’ll think twice about fuckin’ with you again. Oh shit, and that time when you came back, remember? Don’t think the poor bastard even looked at you for a solid month.”

 

Connor huffed a short laugh and smirked. He often recalled the pitiful fight Gavin had put up all those months ago when he needed some cheering up, as well as the punch he’d thrown at Connor when he came back to work at the DPD. With android self-defense laws finally in place, he had been able to actually fight back, knocking Gavin on his ass with a broken nose and bruised knuckles from where he struck Connor’s plastimetal frame. Served him right, thinking he could push Connor around like that.

 

Connor honestly couldn’t say he was surprised that Gavin waited until Hank had gone to the bathroom to approach the android’s desk. He sighed and slowly looked up from his computer. What could he possibly want?

“...yes, Detective Reed?”

 

“..hey.”

 

Connor raised an eyebrow.

“...hey?”

 

Gavin sighed and looked around, fidgeting anxiously with his hands in his coat pockets.

“Look. I don’t wanna talk to you any more than you wanna talk to me, so I’ll just come right out with it. You can do that whole, uh, scanning shit, right? Like diagnostics?”

 

Connor nodded.

“Yes. Why? Is something the matter?”

A quick scan showed nothing wrong with Gavin, save for an increased heart rate from his anxiety.

 

“What? No. I mean- Yeah, just- Not with me.”

 

Connor watched as Gavin took a deep breath, seeming to swallow what little pride he had.

“I think something’s wrong with my cat, alright? And I don’t- I don’t have the money right now to pay for the vet twice over. Can you just, I dunno, check her out for me?”

Gavin crossed his arms and looked away, jaw clenched tight and eyes nervously flicking around.

“...please?” He tacked on.

Connor knew Gavin had at least one cat in his home given the amount of white fur from the same rag doll breed on his clothes, as well as probably fed some strays around his house from the many other strands that seemed to sometimes change and mix. But he never expected Gavin would ask for his help seriously. Even a please.

 

“Oh! Well, uh, yeah. Sure. Yes. I would- I would be happy to help.” Connor said. “When would you like me to-“

 

“Today.” Gavin interrupted. “Just- I dunno, on my lunch break or somethin’, just come with me. I’ll uh... I’ll bring you to my house and you can see her.”

 

Connor nodded. Gavin must really be worried about his cat if he was coming to Connor of all people and inviting him into his home.

 

“Very well. I’ll accompany you to your home when you go on your break. Given your usual pattern, I’ll be ready to leave with you in approximately thirty-six minutes.”

 

Gavin just stared at Connor for a moment, his mouth opening and closing before clicking shut, and he nodded and stalked back to his desk just in time for Hank to come back. The man scowled at Gavin.

 

“Figures, fuckin’ coward. Waitin’ till I’m gone to mess with you. What’d that chickenshit want?” Hank asked. Connor just looked to Hank and smiled.

 

“Not to worry, Lieutenant. Gavin simply asked me...for a favor. Something I can help with.” Connor said, hoping to placate his partner. “There’s something he requires my assistance with, so I’m going to accompany him on a short errand when he goes on his break for lunch.”

 

Hank just stared at the android blankly.

“Gavin. Gavin Reed. Asked you. For a favor? And you’re gonna do it?”

 

Connor nodded.

“Yes. He asked very politely for my help. It would have been rude to refuse given that. If he had demanded my help I would have probably told him to shove his head, but..he said please.”

 

“No. I don’t believe that. Gavin doesn’t say ‘please’ to anyone.”

 

Connor tilted his head.

“Would I lie to you, Hank?”

 

“...no.” Hank sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Just...be careful, yeah?”

 

“Always.”

 

-

 

“...what’s your cat’s name?” Connor asked finally. He was tired of the uncomfortable fifteen minute silence.

 

“What?”

 

“I said, what’s your cat’s name?” he repeated. “I’m just curious.”

 

Gavin looked over at him from the driver seat and was quiet for a moment before sighing.

“...Niva. Her name is Niva.”

 

It took Connor all of five seconds to realize it was just Gavin’s name backwards minus the G, but he chose not to comment.

“A pretty name. I must say though, I’m rather surprised you like cats. But...for some reason, I can’t imagine you actually owning anything else.” Connor said, looking out the window.

 

Gavin just shrugged.

“Dogs want too much attention. Cats can take care of themselves.” he said simply. Connor blinked and looked at the man. Huh. That made a lot more sense, actually. Cats were known for being pretty solitary, only seeking out the company of those they liked. Rather like Gavin himself. The car turned quiet again before Gavin spoke.

 

“...what about you, huh? What sort of pets does an android like?”

 

Connor smiled a little fondly as he pulled up a quick memory of when he fed his fish this morning before work.

“The same ones humans like, I would think. I know one that keeps birds. Another likes rats. I think Markus and Simon were thinking of getting a dog. Me, though, I have a small assortment of fish.”

 

“Fish? Really? What the fuck do fish do?” Gavin asked. “All those others can do tricks and shit. Can you even name a fish?”

 

Connor smiled.

“I just think they’re neat. So many different patterns and colors can all belong to the same species. And yes, you can name them. Though,” Connor huffed a short laugh, “they don’t exactly come when they’re called.”

 

“Yeah,” Gavin snorted as he pulled into his driveway, “guess not.”

He turned off the car and they got out, going up to the door. Connor looked around as Gavin fumbled with his keys. The android noticed a slightly open window, where Niva most likely came and went as she pleased. If she was indeed acting strange, it’s quite possible she ate something she wasn’t supposed to.

 

As Gavin unlocked the door and they went inside, Connor looked around. A bowl of cat food on the floor next to another filled with water, a small box plant of catnip in the window, some toys spread around, a tall tower covered in carpet material, covered in white fur belonging to a ragdoll breed.

 

“So, what exactly have you noticed about Niva that makes you believe she may be ill?” Connor asked, following Gavin further into the house. The man sighed.

 

“She’s acting different. She’s not the most affectionate cat, but she would sit on the couch with me and sleep in my bed, sometimes come up to me and meow for pets, but now she’s all over me all the time.” Gavin explained. “Like, she follows me around everywhere. I don’t care so much about that, but she’s started getting sick randomly. Like, she’ll be fine one minute, then the next I hear her vomiting in the other room. And she got fat. Like, really fat. I leave her a fresh bowl of food to last the day while I’m at work, but it’s never empty when I get home but she just keeps getting fatter.”

 

Gavin just sighed as they walked into the living room where Connor saw the white cat curled up on the couch asleep. Connor watched as Gavin approached her, kneeling down and gently running his fingers over her back. She immediately shot up awake and loudly meowed when her bright blue eyes landed on her owner, standing up and bumping her face right into his nose.

 

“How did she not hear us enter?” Connor asked, and Gavin just scratched her neck.

 

“Deaf. Bought her that way. Would’ve been put down if she wasn’t taken soon.”

 

Oh. Alright then.

 

Connor walked over to the couch and kneeled beside Gavin, holding his hand out for Niva to sniff.

 

“She’s a beautiful cat, Detective.” he said as she smushed her face into his palm and purred loudly, licking at his skin, and Connor laughed quietly at the ticklish feeling of her sandpaper tongue.

“I’ll do my best to diagnose her health problems.” He said, smiling as he ran his fingers through her long silky fur. No knots or anything, Gavin must brush her very frequently. The human just nodded and went away, standing against the wall with crossed arms as he just let Connor do his thing. He hated that he had to go to Connor of all people for this, but he didn’t know what else to do. He didn’t know any vets or doctors on a personal level, and didn’t know anyone else who could most like accurately diagnose Niva with any sickness or ailment. Thus, leaving Connor as his only choice.

 

Connor hummed as he scanned her body, reading her heart and breathing rate. A little fast, especially for a resting cat that was just sleeping.

 

> ACCELERATED HEART RATE AND BREATHING

 

Connor ran his hands further down her body to feel over the swollen stomach. Gavin had mentioned she had gotten noticeably larger. Well, nothing seemed to out of the ordinary-

 

 

Connor suddenly stopped, his hand right over the roundest of the swell. It was hard, not squishy like fat. And her nipples seemed enlarged, and a closer look showed them to be an almost irritated red. Connor tilted his head as a thought came to him, and he retracted the skin on his left hand to get a deeper reading.

 

> ADDITIONAL HEART BEAT

> ADDITIONAL HEART BEAT

> ADDITIONAL HEARTBEAT

> ADDITIONAL HEARTBEAT

> ADDITIONAL HEARTBEAT

> ADDITIONAL HEARTBEAT

 

Oh.

 

_Oh._

 

Connor smiled and continued to gently stroke her fur, letting his skin cover his hand once more.

 

“Gavin? May I ask you some more questions? How often do you let Niva outside?”

 

Gavin looked up and shrugged.

“Every couple days. I’m not home much. Don’t need her getting cabin fever and scratchin’ up all my shit. Why? Did she eat something bad?” he asked, voice deeply laced with concern. “They started spraying some new pesticides last month. Did she get sick eating grass with that shit on it?”

 

“No,” Connor said, standing up and looking to Gavin, “nothing of the sort. She’s perfectly fine.”

 

“Then, what’s wrong with her? Why’s she acting so weird?”

 

Connor just smiled.

“She’s pregnant. Six kittens, if my scan was correct. I expect she’ll be going into labor within the next two weeks.”

 

Gavin just stared wide-eyed at Connor, his eyes moving back and forth between the android and Niva, who meowed in demand for affection, which Connor gladly gave.

“Pregnant? What the fuck, how?!”

 

Connor chuckled.

“Probably the same way most biologically female creatures do, Gavin.” he teased. “She’s a rather young cat, only about two years old. My guess is you let her outside during her ovulation cycle, and she mated with either a neighbor’s cat, or a stray tom. Either way, Niva is indeed pregnant.” He explained. “She’s very healthy though. No sickness at all, and there seem to be no abnormalities in any of the kittens she is carrying.”

 

Gavin just sighed heavily, all the built up anxiety from the day leaving him all at once.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ..” he breathed, running his hands through his hair. “Here I was, worried as shit she was sick. Fuck. Shoulda just used google or somethin’.”

 

Connor shrugged.

“My experience with looking up medical things on the Internet seems to be that nobody knows what they’re talking about, ever. You look up why you feel dizzy, and everyone everywhere says you’re terminal. I’m sure having someone check over her in person was the right choice.”

 

Gavin walked back over to the couch and let Niva with a little smile.

“...six of ‘em, you said?”

 

“Correct.”

 

“Shit... The fuck am I gonna do with six kittens?” Gavin sighed, most likely talking to himself. “Whatever. I’ll worry about that later. What should I do for her now? I’ve never had a cat that had babies before.”

 

Connor looked around.

“Well, you’ll know when her labor is approaching because she will start to withdraw and become rather ravenous with her appetite. Keep an eye on her and see where she’s started to nest. Leave some old clothes you don’t wear anymore in any nests you find, your familiar smell will comfort her, and the kittens will learn it as well. Then, when the time comes... Just let her be. Stay near, and pet her if it makes you feel better, but there will be little need for human interference.” Connor informed. Well, he certainly saw Gavin in a new light. Sure, he was selfish, and a jerk, bigoted against androids, and always thought he had the biggest dick in the room, but...it was so different seeing him like this. He had truly been worried something was wrong with his pet, something he cared about and loved.

 

“...we should get back to the station, Detective. You still haven’t had your lunch yet.” Connor said. Gavin let out a deep breath and nodded, smiling as Niva facebumped him once more before he stood, and they left the house. It was nearly as silent on the way back to the station as it had been on the way to Gavin’s house, but Connor knew he had actually heard the mumbled “...thanks, Connor.” from Gavin before he closed the man’s car door when he dropped the android off back at the station. He smiled as he walked back inside and took his seat at his desk, Hank coming over to him from Fowler’s office just a minute later.

 

“There you are. Shit, I was wondering how long that fucker was gonna keep you.” He said. “What’d he want from you anyway? And is that cat hair on your shirt? You know Sumo’s gonna lose his fuckin’ mind smellin’ a cat on you.”

 

Connor just smiled.

“Yes it is, and I know. Detective Reed simply needed my...particular skill set to solve a problem he had. Nothing to worry about, Hank. I’m alright. No harm done.”

 

Hank squinted at him, almost like he was checking Connor over for any sign he was lying, then sighed when he didn’t find any.

“Alright. Fine.” He said, then went over to his desk and slumped down in his chair.

 

 

 

 

 

“Hank? Can I get a kitten? I just remembered I know someone who’s expecting them soon.”

 

“Fuck no!”

**Author's Note:**

> ehehehehe kitties


End file.
